Why You Should Never Eat High Fructose Corn Syrup
Renaissance physician Paracelsus famously said, “The dose makes the poison,” meaning that even harmless substances can become toxic if you eat enough of them. Many people ask me, “Is high fructose syrup really that bad for you?” And my answer to this question is “Yes,” mainly for this very reason. In America today, we are eating huge doses of sugar, especially high fructose corn syrup. It is sweeter and cheaper than regular sugar and is in every processed food and sugar-sweetened drink. Purging it from your diet is the single best thing you can do for your health! In recent history, we’ve gone from 20 teaspoons of sugar per person per year to about 150 pounds of sugar per person per year. That’s a half pound a day for every man, woman, and child in America. The average 20-ounce soda contains 15 teaspoons of sugar, all of it high fructose corn syrup. And when you eat sugar in those doses, it becomes a toxin. As part of the chemical process used to make high fructose corn syrup, the glucose and fructose — which are naturally bound together — become separated. This allows the fructose to mainline directly into your liver, which turns on a factory of fat production in your liver called lipogenesis. This leads to fatty liver, the most common disease in America today, affecting 90 million Americans. This, in turn, leads to diabesity — pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes. So, high fructose corn syrup is the real driver of the current epidemic of heart attacks, strokes, cancer, dementia, and of course, Type 2 diabetes. HFCS contains dangerous chemicals and contaminants Beside the ginormous load of pure fructose and sugar found in HCFS, as an added bonus, it contains other chemical toxins. Chemical contaminants used during manufacturing end up in the HFCS and Continue reading >>
Is High-fructose Corn Syrup Worse Than Regular Sugar?
The claim: High-fructose corn syrup is worse for you than regular table sugar (sucrose). The facts: High-fructose corn syrup has been blamed for everything from obesity and dementia to heart attacks and strokes. But the truth is far more complicated, so some background is in order: Table sugar (sucrose, from sugar cane or sugar beets) is made up of fructose (also found in fruit and honey) and glucose (the simplest sugar, used for energy by the body). High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), on the other hand, is derived from cornstarch, which consists of a chain of only glucose molecules. To create HFCS, enzymes are added to cornstarch to convert much of the glucose to fructose. Food manufacturers favor HFCS because its cheaper than sucrose. The most common forms contain either 42 percent fructose (mainly used in processed foods) or 55 percent fructose (mainly used in soft drinks). So, sucrosewhich is about 50 percent fructoseis actually higher in fructose than some HFCS. While both glucose and fructose are simple sugars that provide 4 calories per gram, the body processes them differently . Glucose is metabolized by several organs (including the brain, liver, muscles, and fat tissue) and has a direct effect on blood sugar and insulin levels. Fructose is metabolized primarily by the liver, and though it does not have a significant effect on blood sugar or insulin levels, it can have a more immediate effect on triglycerides (fats in the blood). Both human and animal studies show that when fructose is consumed in excess it can lead not only to higher triglycerides but also to a fatty liver, decreased insulin sensitivity, and increased levels of uric acid (which causes gout ). The difference in how the body handles the two sugars has led to the belief that HFCS is much worse for Continue reading >>
High Fructose Corn Syrup And Fructose, The Differences
High Fructose Corn Syrup and Fructose, The Differences There is a great deal of confusion about fructose and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). They are not the same. The term high fructose corn syrup (also known as corn sugar) suggests that HFCS is a fructose sweetener but this is only partly true. In fact, corn sugar contains nearly equal amounts of the simple sugars glucose and fructose. A range of formulas of HFCS with varying ratios of fructose to glucose are used in various food applications, such baked good, beverages, processed fruits, condiments, frozen desserts, jams, jellies, and pickles. Fructose, a simple sweetener, naturally occurring in many fruits and vegetables, is also found in the added sugars, sucrose, crystalline fructose and corn sugar. Sucrose is made up of glucose and fructose so is very similar in composition to high fructose corn syrup. Crystalline fructose can be produced from corn starch or sucrose and contains fructose alone. Crystalline fructose is primarily used in dry mix beverages, low-calorie products, flavored water, still and carbonated beverages, sports and energy drinks, chocolate milk, breakfast cereals, baked goods, yogurt, fruit packs and confections. Since pure crystalline fructose and sucrose have their own unique properties, each is uniquely suited for different applications. Fructose is the sweetest of all nutritive sweeteners with approximately 1.2 to 1.8 times the sweetness of sucrose in most food applications. Less fructose can be used to achieve the same sweetness, thereby saving calories. Importantly, fructose also has a low glycemic index and does not cause surges and dips in blood glucose levels relative to glucose and sucrose. Fructose reacts synergistically with other sweeteners and starches in a way that boosts the s Continue reading >>
High Fructose Corn Syrup Vs. Table Sugar
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is a liquid sweetener used in a variety of processed foods as a less expensive alternative to sucrose (table sugar). Linked to a number of ominous health problems (including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and tooth decay), it's easy to see why HFCS has been vilified by doctors, nutritionists, and consumers alike. But has it really earned its bad rap, or is HFCS simply the latest manufactured boogeyman of the food industry? The answer is a little bit of both. There's no question that consuming HFCS especially in the amounts most of us do is leading to serious health problems. But with all of the damning health information available about HFCS, many assume that "real" sugar is the healthier choice. This isn't exactly true, but the science surrounding the issue is contradictory. And it doesn't help that simply talking about the sweeteners requires mastery of a confusing jumble of "ose"es (fructose, glucose, sucrose) that the average consumer doesn't possess. Let's back up and start with some basic definitions so that we're all talking about the same thing: High Fructose Corn Syrup is created by milling corn in order to produce corn starch. The corn starch is then processed to become corn syrup, which is almost entirely glucose. Added to the corn syrup are enzymes that turn a portion of the glucose into fructose, thereby creating HFCS. HFCS can be made with varying ratios of glucose to fructose, but the most common is a blend of 45% glucose and 55% fructose. The "high fructose" part of the name "High Fructose Corn Syrup" is not intended to suggest that the product is exceptionally high in fructose (though, that is undoubtedly the impression many consumers are left with), but to differentiate it from corn syrup, whi Continue reading >>
Is High Fructose Corn Syrup (hfcs) Worse Than Sugar?
Is high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) worse than sugar? Is high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) worse than sugar? There is currently no evidence to suggest that HFCS is any worse than sugar. Both high fructose corn syrup and sugar are essentially the same; the difference between them is too small to matter in moderate consumption, and in excess both are harmful to health. High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) Structure High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a liquid blend of both glucose and fructose, where both molecules float in solution (as monosaccharides or lone sugar molecules) rather than being bound to each other. It is commonly used in food products due to being cheap to produce and having a slightly sweeter perception than a similar dose of sucrose. The fructose content, which generates most of the sweetness, varies between 42-55% in liquid solutions (with a more rare form of HFCS used in hard candies being up to 90% fructose). Sucrose is known as a disaccharide (two sugar) of glucose and fructose, it is essentially glucose connected to fructose in a 1:1 ratio. Because of this ratio, sucrose can be seen as 50% glucose and 50% fructose. Due to the presence of the sucrase (invertase) enzyme in the intestines, sucrose is broken apart into free glucose and fructose prior to intestinal absorption; this results in both glucose and fructose being detectable in the blood after sucrose ingestion, and no differences between sugars aside from the relative amounts of fructose (which are minor). [1] Structurally speaking, table sugar (sucrose) and HFCS are very similar and confer both of the same sugars in somewhat similar ratios. The difference between sucrose and the higher end of HFCS fructose content (55%) is practically insignificant with moderate or moderately high consumption. Assum Continue reading >>
Straight Talk About High-fructose Corn Syrup: What It Is And What It Ain't
Straight talk about high-fructose corn syrup: what it is and what it ain't From White Technical Research, Argenta, IL Address reprint requests to JS White, White Technical Research, 8895 Hickory Hills Drive, Argenta, IL 62501. E-mail: [email protected] . Search for other works by this author on: The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 88, Issue 6, 1 December 2008, Pages 1716S1721S, John S White; Straight talk about high-fructose corn syrup: what it is and what it ain't, The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 88, Issue 6, 1 December 2008, Pages 1716S1721S, High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a fructose-glucose liquid sweetener alternative to sucrose (common table sugar) first introduced to the food and beverage industry in the 1970s. It is not meaningfully different in composition or metabolism from other fructose-glucose sweeteners like sucrose, honey, and fruit juice concentrates. HFCS was widely embraced by food formulators, and its use grew between the mid-1970s and mid-1990s, principally as a replacement for sucrose. This was primarily because of its sweetness comparable with that of sucrose, improved stability and functionality, and ease of use. Although HFCS use today is nearly equivalent to sucrose use in the United States, we live in a decidedly sucrose-sweetened world: >90% of the nutritive sweetener used worldwide is sucrose. Here I review the history, composition, availability, and characteristics of HFCS in a factual manner to clarify common misunderstandings that have been a source of confusion to health professionals and the general public alike. In particular, I evaluate the strength of the popular hypothesis that HFCS is uniquely responsible for obesity. Although examples of pure fructose causing metabolic upset at high conc Continue reading >>
Glucose Syrup Vs. Corn Syrup
Glucose and corn syrup are used to make candy.Photo Credit: Stevo24/iStock/Getty Images Jill Corleone is a registered dietitian and health coach who has been writing and lecturing on diet and health for more than 15 years. Her work has been featured on the Huffington Post, Diabetes Self-Management and in the book "Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation," edited by John R. Bach, M.D. Corleone holds a Bachelor of Science in nutrition. As added sugars, glucose syrup and corn syrup aren't much different. In fact, glucose syrup is usually made from cornstarch, so the terms "glucose syrup" and "corn syrup" are sometimes used interchangeably. No matter what sweetener you use, however, for good health it's best to limit your intake. Glucose syrup is a liquid sweetener made from hydrolyzing glucose molecules from the strings of glucose that make up starchy foods. Starches used to make glucose syrup include potato, wheat, rice and corn. Corn syrup is a also a liquid sweetener that's made by hydrolyzing cornstarch into glucose. Due to the type of sweetener it is, corn syrup can be referred to as glucose syrup, but not all glucose syrups can be called corn syrup. Nutrition information for glucose and corn syrup may vary depending on manufacturer and source of sugar in the glucose syrup. Both are a concentrated source of calories with very little nutritional value. A 1-tablespoon serving of a corn-based glucose syrup has 70 calories, 17 grams of carbs and 6 milligrams of sodium. The same serving of light corn syrup has 62 calories, 17 grams of carbs and 14 milligrams of sodium. You may be able to use glucose and corn syrup interchangeably in recipes. Both syrups make good choices for candy and frozen dessert recipes because their consistency helps prevent crystallization. You can also Continue reading >>
Cane Sugar Vs. High-fructose Corn Syrup
Sandi Busch received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology, then pursued training in nursing and nutrition. She taught families to plan and prepare special diets, worked as a therapeutic support specialist, and now writes about her favorite topics nutrition, food, families and parenting for hospitals and trade magazines. A woman is putting sugar in her mug.Photo Credit: MihailUlianikov/iStock/Getty Images The major difference between cane sugar and high-fructose corn syrup is that the first is commonly used in the form of table sugar, while the other is primarily available to food producers. Otherwise, the differences between the two are subtle; both have the potential to harm your health. The sugar cane plant produces a tall stalk that stores sugar in the form of sucrose. When its harvested, the stalk is pressed to extract the sugary juice, then it's boiled until crystals of sugar form. These raw sugar crystals contain impurities, so theyre sent to a refinery where theyre washed, filtered, recrystallized, dried and packaged. The resulting sucrose is sold as granulated sugar. Sucrose, or table sugar, consists of equal parts of two types of sugar glucose and fructose. Sweet corn is full of sugar in the form of carbohydrates. The corns starch is extracted and processed to produce corn syrup, which is 93 to 96 percent glucose. Corn syrup is further processed into high-fructose corn syrup by using enzymes that convert glucose into fructose. High-fructose corn syrup can contain as much as 90 percent fructose, but the syrups used commercially are 42 percent or 55 percent fructose, which makes them chemically similar to cane sugar, according to an article in the December 2008 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." While the sweeteners themselves are not very differ Continue reading >>
High Fructose Corn Syrup: Just Like Sugar, Or Worse?
High Fructose Corn Syrup: Just Like Sugar, or Worse? Written by Joe Leech, MS on January 8, 2015 For decades, high fructose corn syrup has been used as a sweetener in processed foods. Supposedly high in fructose , it has been heavily criticized for its negative health effects. Many people claim that it is even more harmful than other sugar-based sweeteners. But how does high fructose corn syrup really compare to regular sugar? Is it any worse? High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is a sweetener derived from corn syrup, which is processed from corn. It is used to sweeten processed foods and soft drinks, primarily in the USA. Similarly to regular table sugar (sucrose), it is composed of both fructose and glucose. It became a popular sweetener in the late 1970's when the price of regular sugar was high, while corn prices were low due to government subsidies. However, the use of high fructose corn syrup has started declining slightly, in line with the rising popularity of artificial sweeteners . The graph below shows trends for sweetener consumption in the US, in the years 1966-2009 ( 1 ): The blue line shows the consumption of regular sugar, while the red line shows the consumption of high fructose corn syrup, which skyrocketed between 1975 and 1985. Bottom Line: High fructose corn syrup is a sugar-based sweetener, used in processed foods and drinks in the US. Like regular sugar, it consists of the simple sugars glucose and fructose. High fructose corn syrup is made from corn (maize), which is usually genetically modified. The corn is first milled to produce corn starch. Then the corn starch is processed even further to produce corn syrup ( 2 ). Corn syrup consists mostly of glucose. To make it sweeter and more similar in taste to regular sugar (sucrose), some of that glucose Continue reading >>
Corn Syrup Vs. High Fructose Corn Syrup
Whats the difference between corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup? Before I answer this, lets talk a little bit about sugars. There are three major types of sugar: sucrose, glucose, and fructose. Sucrose is table sugar. Its a disaccharide, meaning that there are two sugar molecules joined together in a single molecule. Those two sugar molecules that make up sucrose are monosaccharides, and they are glucose and fructose. Corn syrup is, as the name implies, made from corn. This makes it cheaper to produce than sugar, because the US government spends a lot of money to make corn growth a relatively inexpensive thing to do. Regular corn syrup, the kind you buy for candy making , is primarily glucose suspended in water. You use it in your cooking because you want to keep crystals from forming in your candy or you need something chewy instead or hard or similar. When manufacturers use corn syrup, they sometimes need it for the same reasons home cooks need it, but more often they use it to save money. And if substituting a less expensive ingredient for an expensive ingredient is one good way to save money, another good way is to use less of the ingredient instead of more. So they treat the corn syrup (with enzymes, apparently) in order to have more fructose than glucose. Because the fructose is sweeter than glucose, they dont need to use as much of it in order to sweeten food. There is a lot of controversy going on currently about high fructose corn syrup, about how bad it is for you, or about how its fine in moderation like sugar. Both of these things can be true at the same time. Current theory on obesity trends starts with an evolutionary concept: we, as a species, adapted to our environment by eating certain foods, by having to work a certain amount to get those foods, Continue reading >>
High Fructose Corn Syrup Vs Corn Syrup Facts | Shape Magazine
Q: What is the difference between high-fructose corn syrup and corn syrup? Are both bad for me? A: High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) has received quite a bit of media attention in recent years. Found in many foods and beverages, its the typical added sugar component of modern processed foods and can have potentially negative health consequences. While HFCS is comprised of approximately 45 percent glucose and 55 percent fructose (the exact percentage of fructose can vary depending on the product), plain corn syrup is simply glucose, the most basic sugar molecule, and doesnt receive as much media coverage.[ Tweet this fact! ] Both are added sugars, and in my opinion, added sugars should be minimized in your diet as much as possible. The negative health consequences can be seen in the different ways that fructose and glucose are metabolized. Fructose is absorbed in your small intestine but shuttled off to your liver for processing before it hits your bloodstream. If too much fructose enters your liver, whatever cannot be processed will be converted into fat, which will ultimately exacerbate metabolic syndrome. In comparison, glucose is dumped directly into your bloodstream, ready for your tissues to soak it up and use as energy. This is why HFCS gets a lot more bad press than corn syrup. However a recent article published in the Advances in Nutrition brought into question the role of fructose in the declining health of Americans, concluding that the current body of research on the negative effects of fructose does not take into account the context of how people are normally consuming fructose. RELATED: Everything You Need to Know About Sugar Still, I recommend that you avoid both types of corn syrup with equal fervor. I also believe we should be less concerned about HFCS an Continue reading >>
5 Reasons High Fructose Corn Syrup Will Kill You
IF YOU CAN’T CONVINCE THEM, CONFUSE THEM – Harry Truman The current media debate about the benefits (or lack of harm) of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in our diet misses the obvious. The average American increased their consumption of HFCS (mostly from sugar sweetened drinks and processed food) from zero to over 60 pounds per person per year. During that time period, obesity rates have more than tripled and diabetes incidence has increased more than seven fold. Not perhaps the only cause, but a fact that cannot be ignored. Doubt and confusion are the currency of deception, and they sow the seeds of complacency. These are used skillfully through massive print and television advertising campaigns by the Corn Refiners Association’s attempt to dispel the “myth” that HFCS is harmful and assert through the opinion of “medical and nutrition experts” that it is no different than cane sugar. It is a “natural” product that is a healthy part of our diet when used in moderation. Except for one problem. When used in moderation it is a major cause of heart disease, obesity, cancer, dementia, liver failure, tooth decay, and more. The Lengths the Corn Industry Will Go To The goal of the corn industry is to call into question any claim of harm from consuming high fructose corn syrup, and to confuse and deflect by calling their product natural “corn sugar”. That’s like calling tobacco in cigarettes natural herbal medicine. In the ad, the father tells us: “Like any parent I have questions about the food my daughter eats–-like high fructose corn syrup. So I started looking for answers from medical and nutrition experts, and what I discovered whether it’s corn sugar or cane sugar your body can’t tell the difference. Sugar is sugar. Knowing that makes me fee Continue reading >>
Updated Factsheet On Glucose Fructose Syrups, Isoglucose And High Fructose Corn Syrup 2016
Home / All our issues , Homepage-news , News , Nutrition and Health /UPDATED FACTSHEET ON GLUCOSE FRUCTOSE SYRUPS, ISOGLUCOSE AND HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP 2016 UPDATED FACTSHEET ON GLUCOSE FRUCTOSE SYRUPS, ISOGLUCOSE AND HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP 2016 admin 2018-01-08T20:04:41+00:00 September 13th, 2016| Terms like glucose fructose syrups, isoglucose and High Fructose Corn Syrups (HFCS) are often confused and used interchangeably. This section aims to clarify the differences. (read more) Glucose is a simple sugar found naturally in many foods. Glucose performs a unique and vital role as an energy source for the brain which cannot use other types of energy [i] . Fructose is also a simple sugar found in many foods. It is the sweetest of all naturally occurring sugars. High levels of fructose are, for example, typically found in fruits notably tree fruits (oranges, apples etc.), berries, melons and some root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, parsnips and onions Sucrose, or table sugar, is made up of glucose and fructose linked together in a 1:1 ratio (i.e., 50% glucose, 50% fructose). Glucose Fructose Syrup (GFS) is a liquid sweetener used in the manufacturing of foods and beverages. It is composed of different sugars, mainly glucose and fructose, with varying compositions, with a fructose content ranging from 5 to 50%. If the fructose content exceeds 50%, the product becomes a Fructose-Glucose Syrup. Isoglucose is glucose fructose syrups with more than 10% of fructose, as defined in EU legislation [1] . In the United States, this type of product is produced from maize starch most commonly either with a 42% or a 55% fructose content and is called High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). [1] For a definition of isoglucose please see COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 1234/2007 of 22 Octob Continue reading >>
How Sugar Works
As its name implies, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) comes from corn, not sugarcane or sugar beets. Created in the 1960s, this additive is now found in numerous processed foods, including many sodas. The syrup has become popular for food makers because it's cheaper than white sugar. HFCS has a reputation for being unhealthy and fattening, which you can read more about in the article How bad for you is high-fructose corn syrup? It's also stigmatized as unnatural and artificial because the production process requires the addition of enzymes and fiddling with the molecular arrangement of regular corn syrup. Some say that high-fructose corn syrup is a major contributor to the obesity epidemic because obesity rates have risen in lockstep with HFCS consumption. But the available scientific evidence is inconclusive [source: Warner]. That doesn't mean that HFCS is healthy. It's still "empty" calories -- no nutritional value, easily and quickly processed by the body. There is, however, some evidence that the body treats HFCS differently than glucose, another common form of sugar. When a person's liver is deciding what to do with glucose, it has several options: use it for energy; convert the glucose into triglycerides or store the glucose as fat. A 2008 study found that fructose seems to go directly to fat [source: Parker-Pope]. The problem may also be more severe with those who are overweight. The study concluded that fructose itself isn't bad -- particularly fructose found in fruits, which are nutrient rich -- but that many people could be better served by limiting fructose consumption and avoiding overeating [source: Parker-Pope]. One misconception about HFCS stems from its name. In fact, HFCS isn't that much different than standard, processed white sugar. A commonly used for Continue reading >>
High Fructose Corn Syrup Dangers & Healthy Alternatives
A lot of medical professionals think thatfructose is better for diabetics than sugar, but every cell in the body can metabolize glucose.Fructose, on the other hand,must be metabolized by the liver.Fructose has been directly linkedwith diabetes, especially high fructose corn syrup, which contains a great deal of free-floating fructose. Unlike fruit, which contains fructose yet also has fiber and nutrients to positively affect fructoses absorption by the body, high fructose corn syrup offers absolutely zero nutritional value. Its just straight-up questionable sugar and calories, nothing else. Recent data suggest that fructose consumption in humans leads toincreased visceral fat accumulation, impairment in the regulation of fats in the blood (like cholesterol and triglycerides) and decreased insulin sensitivity. Why are these effects of fructose so concerning? All of these side effects have been associated with an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes as well as cardiovascular disease. ( 15 ) A study published in the journal Global Health shows that countries that mix high fructose corn syrup into processed foods and drinks have higher rates of diabetes than countries that dont use HFCS. Out of the 43 countries studied, approximately half had little or no high fructose corn syrup in their food supplies. In the other countries, the HFCS content of foods was between about one pound a year per person in Germany to about 55 pounds each year per person in the U.S. The study found that countries using HFCS had diabetes rates about 20 percent higher than HFCS-free countries. ( 16 ) Fructose intake from added sugars is associated with high blood pressure levels in humans. The goal of a 2012 study published in Metabolism was tocompare the effects of soft drinks sweetened wi Continue reading >>
